Kirsten Anderson, a former communications director for the Iowa Senate Republican caucus, reacts to the verdict in her sexual harassment lawsuit against the State of Iowa after she was awarded $2.2 million by a Polk County jury.

Gov. Kim Reynolds treats $2.2 million judgment like business as usual

Gov. Kim Reynolds said Wednesday morning that Senate Republicans ought to bring in someone from the state’s personnel department to investigate complaints of sexual harassment that came up in a recent trial.

On Wednesday afternoon, Senate Majority Leader Bill Dix announced that the Senate has begun the process of contracting with the state’s Department of Administrative Services for human resources services for the Senate. That process started last week on the advice of the attorney general’s office, Dix said in his statement.

I asked Reynolds during her weekly news conference whether she favored an independent investigation of the allegations that came up in court after a former Senate employee sued the state. She praised Dix for adopting a “zero tolerance” policy for sexual harassment, which was already in place for executive branch employees.

“I’m appreciative of the steps that they are taking and I have faith in Senator Dix that he will take the necessary steps and has, it’s my understanding, taken the necessary steps to make sure that’s not going to be tolerated,” she said.

Dix told reporters Friday he had asked Secretary of the Senate Charlie Smithson to lead the investigation, according to news reports. There was apparently no mention of bringing in DAS. Smithson’s job is a political appointment made by the Senate majority caucus, which means Dix can fire him.

“I think it would be helpful to contact DAS,” Reynolds said. “They have the expertise and the resources, and get some feedback from Director (Janet) Phipps.”

In his statement, Dix did not say DAS would be part of the investigation but rather would provide services once a contract is established. The agency, which handles human resources for the executive branch, cannot work for the Senate without a contract.

Last month, a jury awarded Kirsten Anderson $2.2 million in connection with her claims that she was harassed and then fired in 2013 in retaliation when she complained to her supervisors. The state has not announced whether it will appeal. Anderson filed a petition last week asking a judge to order an independent investigation of the harassment claims. There had been no ruling as of Wednesday.

Smithson, a lawyer who has worked at the state Campaign Ethics and Disclosure Board and the state Public Information Board, was hired as Senate secretary after Republicans took over the majority in the 2016 elections. I’ve known him for many years. I like him. I have never had cause to question his integrity. So my objection to having him conduct this investigation is not at all personal.

The problem is that the secretary of the Senate serves at the pleasure of the Senate Republican leadership.

Dix is the same Senate Republican leader who approved Anderson’s termination just seven hours after she presented a list of complaints about harassment and a toxic work environment. Dix still maintains that firing was justified based on Anderson’s work performance. That’s even after jury members apparently thought Anderson’s treatment was so egregious that they awarded her more than she sought in the lawsuit.

Dix has not fired any of the staff responsible for the sexist and racist jokes and remarks and otherwise offensive behavior in the workplace. He has not fired any of the supervisors who failed to investigate and record harassment complaints and to adequately document employee performance issues. Now, he apparently will have taxpayers pay for another state agency to do that job.

I don’t know if an investigation by DAS would be any more transparent to the public than one Senate Republicans conduct in-house. Taxpayers are on the hook for the cost of this debacle and they deserve a complete report of how this investigation is conducted and the conclusions.

While the governor is right to suggest an independent investigation, I have to say I’ve been disappointed with her response to this lawsuit all along. She’s expressed none of the disgust and outrage I’ve heard from Iowans of both parties about the conduct of Senate Republican staff.

Reynolds repeats that sexual harassment is unacceptable in the same tone she might use to suggest callers leave a message after the beep. She shrugs off questions about where the state is going to find the money for this judgment, even though the state is having to borrow from reserves to balance the budget. It seems like this is all business as usual to her.

She’s pointed out she can’t tell the legislative branch what to do. That’s true, it is a separate branch of government.

But surely that doesn’t prevent her from standing up with all the moral authority of her office for Iowa women who may be suffering this same sort of abuse in their own workplaces. Even if she can’t muster any indignation over the harassment, at the very least she ought to be furious at the resulting cost to taxpayers.

Even the governor’s off-hand remark was enough to get Dix to speak up about the pending contract with DAS. Her words have more power than she apparently realizes. I’m sure I’m not alone among Iowa women who would like to see her use it.